
Starting down Pope Mine Wash.


Pope Mine Wash begins to narrow.




Dryfall in Pope Mine Wash. We bypassed it be heading over the ridge behind Austin. Alternatively, before entering the narrows seen in the previous few pictures, cross the desert and enter a minor drainage to the east of Pope Mine Wash (next couple photos)

Small drainage east of Pope Mine Wash, avoiding the dryfall and bypass.

Small drainage east of Pope Mine Wash, avoiding the dryfall and bypass.

Back in Pope Mine Wash, a really cool balanced rock.

Continuing down Pope Mine Wash as the walls become taller.

Pope Mine Wash soon opens up a bit, but then we were stopped by another major dryfall. We ascended the slope on the top left to avoid the dryfall.

Looking back into Pope Mine Wash, the technical section visible in the center. We left the wash to ascend a slope since we didn't have any rappel gear. January 2022 update: the canyon pictured center is a short technical canyon that we descended. Photos of this short technical section can be found at the end of this trip report.

At the top of the slope, looking west toward Peak 1982.

Another shot back down into Pope Mine Wash as Austin gets to the top of the slope.

Heading toward Peak 1982.

Peak 1982 ahead. We wrapped around it on the right in search of a way up.

Wrapping around Peak 1982.

Peak 1480 visible on the left (our next peak).

Class 5 on Peak 1982. This seemed to be the easiest section, but the rock quality was poor and we decided to skip the peak.

At the base of Peak 1982, looking east toward Peak 2120 (right) and Peak 2871 (left). We would get both of them later in the day.

Heading south from Peak 1982, whose cliffs are seen here.

Peak 1480 ahead. We dropped down to a small wash separating Peak 1982 and Peak 1480, and ascended Peak 1480 on the left slopes in this photo. There were some cliffs to navigate around as we descended.

Ascending Peak 1480, Peak 1982 visible center left. You can see Peak 2871 on the distant top right, our last peak of the day.

Summit of Peak 1480, view north. Malpais Flattop Mesa visible top right.

Summit of Peak 1480, view south. Pope Mine Cove hidden somewhere in the center.

Summit of Peak 1480, view northeast. Peak 1982 on the left, Peak 2871 center, Peak 2120 right. Next up was Peak 2120 on the right. We dropped down into Pope Mine Wash (hidden in this photo) on the right somewhere.

Colorful hills as we head down into Pope Mine Wash.

Pope Mine Wash, heading north.

Pope Mine Wash.

West fork of Pope Mine Wash, trying to see if we could make it all the way up to the dryfall that stopped us earlier.

Nope. Another dryfall. Definitely a technical canyon.

After returning down the west fork, we went up the east fork, here.

Colorful and big cliffs in the east fork of Pope Mine Wash.


Pope Mine Wash getting narrow.

Unexpected narrows in Pope Mine Wash's east fork.

A couple of Class 3 moves in this short narrow section.



After exiting the narrow section, we headed up the grassy slope on the right in order to get up to Peak 2120.

Looking back into the narrow section as we ascend the slope.

After ascending the slope, looking south. The cliff in the center is a false summit of Peak 2120. We side-hilled down into the notch to the left of the cliff in the center of this photo.

Looking back as we side-hill. Peak 1982 top left.

After side-hilling, we got to the notch pictured here. The cliffs on the right are the same seen two photos ago. The gully in the center is a Class 2 bypass. Fortunately it was there because the main drainage from the notch was cliffy.

Ascending the Class 2 gully.

Fairly long minor drainage separating two small ridges. Peak 2120 eventually comes in on the right.

Ascending to Peak 2120, Peak 2871 visible top center.

Peak 2120 summit, view west. Peak 1480 visible center, Peak 1982 far right.

Peak 2120 summit, view northeast toward Peak 2871. We dropped down to the drainage at the bottom, then navigated hills until we entered a major drainage that led to the base of the peak.

Looking back up toward Peak 2120. We descended from the saddle on the right.

Heading up a major drainage.

Peak 2871 visible ahead.

Looking back as we ascend the drainage.

Peak 2871 center, the drainage getting more rocky and steep.

The drainage ends in a steep Class 2+ slope (not pictured), and then ascends a mellow slope to just below the summit of Peak 2871. This view is looking southwest toward Peak 2120.

Peak 2871 ahead.

Austin ascending the Class 2 summit of Peak 2871.

Peak 2871 summit, view southwest toward Peak 2120 (center). The wash we ascended Peak 2871 visible center.

Peak 2871 summit, view northwest toward Malpais Flattop Mesa.

Close-up toward Malpais Flattop Mesa. We navigated the drainages in the foreground. Our car is at the base of Malpais Flattop Mesa way over there somewhere.

After dropping down off Peak 2871, Peak 2871 summit visible on the top right.

Running through washes as we descend back into Pope Mine Wash to complete the loop.

For those interested in canyoneering, the following photos were taken January 22, when a group of us descended the short technical section outlined with a green dotted line on the attached map. This is the first rappel.

Bottom of first rappel.

Pretty narrows for a bit.

More pretty narrows and easy downclimb.

Narrows within the short technical section.

The canyon opens up a bit before the final rappel.

Second (last) rappel.

View of the final rappel for this technical section.
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